The world's smallest four-seater passenger car -or so Toyota claims, the iQ, has won the 2008 Japan Car of the Year award. Toyota's new proposal in the minicar segment that will most likely come to the States as a Scion (click here for details) triumphed over its antagonists scoring more than double the points of the second placed Citroen C5, receiving top marks from 39 of the 65 jurors who voted.
Surprisingly, Japan's own Nissan GT-R finished in third place followed by the new Audi A4 and Jaguar XF. Even more surprising is the fact that Fiat's highly acclaimed 500 minicar that was included in this year's ballot finished 7th. We remind you that the 500 won the European Car of the Year award in 2007.
Unfortunately we won't have the chance to see if the iQ manages to have the same effect on European journalists as the Toyota mini is not eligible to take part in the competition as sales in Europe do not start until January 2009, past the cut-off for the European COTY for this year (see the seven finalists here).
Results of Japan Car of the Year 2008
1.
Toyota iQ
526 points
2.
Citroën C5
223 points
3.
Nissan GT-R
201 points
4.
Audi A4/A4 Avant
180 points
5.
Jaguar XF
115 points
6.
Daihatsu Tanto
100 points
7.
Fiat 500
90 points
8.
Honda Freed
62 points
9.
Mazda Atenza
60 points
10.
Suzuki Wagon R
37 points
11
Subaru Exiga
31 points
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